


Twenty-One Days

by SheetsOfSecrets



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:08:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27477811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheetsOfSecrets/pseuds/SheetsOfSecrets
Summary: In a military-esque AU, Zenos and Audetta are the best of the best in their respective squadrons. As they train for a competition to sort out the strongest in the camp, the two become entwined in a dangerous path of self-destruction. Who will be victorious? Or will they consume one another in the conquest of greatness?
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	Twenty-One Days

The sun beamed high above Audetta. Its heat washed over her scalp in waves, and the tawny, arid soil sprawled in front of the formation block for miles. Barracks dotted the horizon, the miniscule structures warping like flames in the summer heat. The other members of her company stood in twelve perfect rows behind her. Commander Synblynalyr paced in front of her and her peers slowly, his boots crunching into the dirt and leaving imprints of his treads behind. His posture was straight and stiff with his hands clasped together behind his back, elbows pointing outward. Eventually, he came to a halt in front of her. He slowly turned on the balls of his feet to face the company.

“You all can learn a lesson from her,” the commander bellowed. “Private Fuller’s abilities have improved at a quicker rate than anyone else’s here! And what does that tell us?” A vulture's lazy cry split through the uneasy silence. A disgruntled growl escaped Commander Synblynalyr’s throat, loud enough for only Audetta to hear. _Here we go again_ , she thought.

“It tells us,” he began as his eyes scanned the formation behind her, “that she’s been taking extra time to train! And what does that say about the rest of you?” He walked past the Hyur slowly. She dared not look back, but she knew precisely what he was doing. She could see him walking back and forth in front of the first row of privates, uncomfortably close, his eyes squinting slightly as he sneered at them one by one. The odd man would gulp in fear or shift in discomfort. Commander Synblynalyr would only cock an eyebrow and smirk haughtily in response.

“You’re weak!” He roared. “Unmotivated, spineless, childish! You’re all weak! Every single one of you!” His voice got higher and more strained. Audetta could imagine the vein on his temple bulging out from beneath his burgundy skin. As he continued berating squad mates, she closed her eyes and inhaled shakily.

When she opened them, her breath caught in her throat. She spotted a rivaling company running across the campsite. A large figure stole her focus. His gait was more relaxed than the rest of his mates, yet he remained well ahead of them all. His hair trailed behind him and shimmered in the sunlight, golden silk spun in the wind. He was looking at her with a hefty smirk drawn across his face.

 _What the hell_ , she thought. _Do I know that guy?_ She tracked the group of sprinters until they vanished from eyesight, daring not to turn her head as she pondered over why the broad-shouldered beauty would watch her like that. _Maybe he thought I was being singled out in a bad way_ , her thoughts continued. _That would be embarrassing._

“-will be participating in a base-wide competition, and you will not embarrass me! Private Fuller,” the commander barked. Hearing her name snapped Audetta’s attention back to Synblynalyr’s tirade.

“Yes, sir!” she answered, a statue on display for her peers.

He walked his way back over to her leisurely. Despite hurling strings of insults at the other guys, his mannerisms remained eerily controlled. Now standing square in front of her, he lowered his voice. “You will lead these men in their training for the weeks to come,” he ordered. “I need them in the best shape possible. I will not have my leadership capabilities questioned by my superiors. Understood?”

She clenched her jaw and nodded once. _Of fucking course_ , her mind screamed. _Synblynalyr wants the glory for my hard work yet again. The guy wouldn’t be here without me. The bastard._

He nodded in response then raised his voice once again.

“Take ‘em on a run, Fuller!”

As if on reflex she began bounding away, feeling the stretch throughout her legs and reveling in the ability to move once more. The erratic and uncertain footsteps of 60 others trailed her as the commander’s voice cut through the still heat.

“You have three weeks!”

She jogged up to the dusty path and broke east, following the direction of the blond and his group of runners. Through a haze of disrupted dirt, she made out the cluster of bodies. Through no conscious decision of her own, Audetta’s legs stretched out farther. The men groaned in protest. The gap was closing, but not fast enough. Her boots pounded harder on the ground. A burning pain became apparent around her ankles as she pressed on.

“To your right,” she called out to the group ahead, nearing the stragglers of the smirking man’s squad. They craned their necks to get a glimpse of Audetta as she raced past them, nearly colliding with one slow mover. Undeterred, she pressed on. Her quads screamed and the searing pain in her ankles grew, but she pressed on. Her legs moved of their own volition, faster and faster, until she could see the man she was after.

As she approached him, her eyes widened. _I don’t believe it_ , she thought. _Does this man not sweat?_ As if he could hear her thoughts, he glanced to the side and eyed her up and down, an eyebrow cocked. He took her in in all her red, puffing glory - hair dishevelled and falling out of her bun, eyes squinting as she looked up at him - and chuckled.

“So,” he began in a deep, velvety voice. “This is Synblynalyr’s best warrior?”

**Author's Note:**

> Here's hoping this fic doesn't miss the mark. I'm nervous yet excited to put it out!


End file.
